OpenCL on FreeBSD

tbyte · 07-07-10, 08:11 AM

Will there be soon support for OpenCL on FreeBSD and if not, why ? Will it be too complicated (having the source) to port it to FreeBSD from linux driver ?

**zander** · 07-07-10, 10:07 AM

There are currently no plans to support CUDA/OpenCL on FreeBSD, although the runtime components (i.e. not the SDKs) may be ported at some point.

tbyte · 07-07-10, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zander

There are currently no plans to support CUDA/OpenCL on FreeBSD, although the runtime components (i.e. not the SDKs) may be ported at some point.

Is it like just recompiling (with few small modifications probably) of the components for FreeBSD or it requires more porting/rewriting of the code ?

**zander** · 07-07-10, 10:15 AM

It's both for the driver components. I can't comment on the SDK (I haven't worked on it).

tbyte · 07-07-10, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zander

It's both for the driver components. I can't comment on the SDK (I haven't worked on it).

Hum Is it that I got something wrong, but I saw guys running linux CUDA (I'm guessing OpenCL should be similar ?) binaries on FreeBSD with the FreeBSD nVidia driver. So the driver should (if I'm not getting something wrong of course) support CUDA and the driver being similar to the linux one should support OpenCL when the linux one does ?

**zander** · 07-07-10, 10:53 AM

The Linux driver packages include additional user-space components (see e.g. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html vs. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html).

tbyte · 07-07-10, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zander

The Linux driver packages include additional user-space components (see e.g. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html vs. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html).

So exactly what I thought. Now if those linux components work under FreeBSD with emulation, will it be hard to just recompile them for FreeBSD (with small modifications probably) or there is some step I can't seem to understand because user space programs should be pretty easy to port ? Of course my line of thinking could be completely wrong because I haven't seen the source.

Regards.

**zander** · 07-07-10, 11:33 AM

Like I said, it's not as simple as just building on FreeBSD. Also, beyond the initial port, we need to consider support/maintenance costs.

tbyte · 07-09-10, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zander

Like I said, it's not as simple as just building on FreeBSD. Also, beyond the initial port, we need to consider support/maintenance costs.

I really hope nVidia manages to find some money to port and maintain a FreeBSD OpenCL libs (which should be just of port of linux ones ?). I'm really scared of the idea of using linux (or even worse - windoze ...) just for OpenCL.

Regards.

rhurlin · 07-09-10, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zander

The Linux driver packages include additional user-space components (see e.g. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html vs. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html).

The actual port on FreeBSD (x11/nvidia-driver, Version 195.36.15) installs at least the linux versions of libcuda:

/usr/compat/linux/usr/lib/libcuda.so.1
/usr/compat/linux/usr/lib/libcuda.so.195.36.15

Am I right that this offers an option for FreeBSD port developers to adopt some CUDA applications in linux compatibility mode? Or is there no real "connection" between this libs and the native FreeBSD NVidia driver?

tbyte · 07-09-10, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhurlin

...
Am I right that this offers an option for FreeBSD port developers to adopt some CUDA applications in linux compatibility mode? ...

Yes, You are right.

tbyte · 07-15-10, 08:40 PM

Looking around the forums I saw an interesting thing - Solaris forum - 5 viewing, FreeBSD - 40+ viewing . So isn't it wise to shift resource from Solaris (Sun being bought by Oracle and probably solaris will die soon) to FreeBSD and porting and supporting CUDA and OpenCL for FreeBSD ?

07-07-10, 08:11 AM	#1
tbyte Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Europe, Bulgaria Posts: 28	OpenCL on FreeBSD Will there be soon support for OpenCL on FreeBSD and if not, why ? Will it be too complicated (having the source) to port it to FreeBSD from linux driver ?

07-07-10, 10:07 AM	#2
zander NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,740	Re: OpenCL on FreeBSD There are currently no plans to support CUDA/OpenCL on FreeBSD, although the runtime components (i.e. not the SDKs) may be ported at some point.

07-07-10, 10:15 AM	#4
zander NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,740	Re: OpenCL on FreeBSD It's both for the driver components. I can't comment on the SDK (I haven't worked on it).

07-07-10, 10:53 AM	#6
zander NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,740	Re: OpenCL on FreeBSD The Linux driver packages include additional user-space components (see e.g. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html vs. http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...omponents.html).

07-07-10, 11:33 AM	#8
zander NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,740	Re: OpenCL on FreeBSD Like I said, it's not as simple as just building on FreeBSD. Also, beyond the initial port, we need to consider support/maintenance costs.

07-15-10, 08:40 PM	#12
tbyte Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Europe, Bulgaria Posts: 28	Re: OpenCL on FreeBSD Looking around the forums I saw an interesting thing - Solaris forum - 5 viewing, FreeBSD - 40+ viewing . So isn't it wise to shift resource from Solaris (Sun being bought by Oracle and probably solaris will die soon) to FreeBSD and porting and supporting CUDA and OpenCL for FreeBSD ?